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Aki and Angel Devil were paired on a mission together, as they often were. They had reports of a vampire devil in their area and Makima called Aki straight away, saying it was of the utmost importance for him and Angel to deal with it. Aki had never heard of a vampire devil before, but considering that vampires were something humans often feared a lot, it must be powerful, and Aki had to assume that it worked how a typical vampire would. Sharp fangs, drains blood, compulsion, averse to the sun. He told Angel to stay vigilant and they sped walked down the dark alleyway where Makima directed them. Aki heard screams so he knew the vampire devil was close.
It was in the shape of a human, though its skin was as fair as paper. Several human bodies were on the floor behind it, seemingly drained and dead. It had wide black bat wings, curved ears and sharp, menacing fangs that were doused in red blood. Its whole face was covered in blood, actually. Its eyes were a piercing yellow and it shrieked when it spotted the pair, zeroing in on Aki.
Angel got to it before Aki could even draw his sword. Using his own sword to slice off half of its bat wing, Angel Devil put distance between Aki and the Vampire Devil. The vampire devil shrieked in pain and doubled down its effort, flapping it’s injured wing as well as his healthy one with so much force that a small dust cloud formed into a spiral in the air, dousing Aki’s eyes.
The vampire devil thrashed and Angel Devil closed in, gnarling a bit himself as he pressed the vampire devil against the brick wall of the alley and stabbed the meaty part of it’s thigh with a dagger. The vampire lurched forward, catching Angel Devil by surprise. It all happened so fast. One second, the vampire devil seemed as good as dead. And then the next, it was atop Angel Devil, its uninjured wing covering them like a shield.
The wing obscured Aki’s vision. All Aki saw was Angel’s auburn hair splayed on the concrete, a small pool of blood under him as he grappled with the vampire devil, his halo flickering.
Aki panicked, immediately closing in to find a way to save his partner, but Angel yelled
“Aki, don’t! It’s too dangerous!” Angel struggled under the vampire devil and then Aki heard a sickening bite as the vampire devil breached skin. It bit him. It bit Angel. Was it feeding from him? Draining him?
Aki's blood ran cold. That sound. That horrible wet bite droned out any other sound in his circumference. Aki didn't care about danger. He ignored Angel’s desperate request and brought his sword down, *hard* slicing off the Vampire Devil’s head. It rolled down the alleyway floor, smearing blood as it went. The body atop his partner went limp and he heard fruitless yelps underneath the dead flesh. Angel.
He pulled the Vampire Devil up by its cold arms and Angel slid out from under it, Aki’s hands quick to check Angel’s pulse once he was free.
“You bastard!” Angel yelled, his throat and neck wet with his own blood “Don’t touch me! Aki!”
Aki pulled his hands away as if he’d gotten burned. He had touched him. Again. How much time had he lost now? He would lose it all just for Angel to be alright.
Angel sputtered and coughed out blood, sighing and rising to sit up weakly. He pressed his hand to his neck (which had a bite mark resembling two fangs and was decorated in red, red, blood) “You’re an idiot.” Angel stared Aki dead in the eyes and said.
Swallowing thickly, Aki took a step back instead of helping further. His hands clenched uselessly at his sides.
“Stop worrying about me. It’ll cost you your life.” He pants.
“Like I’ve said before.” Angel gurgles, wincing as he stood
“It’s really no big deal if I die. I’ve been ready for a while. Though, if what we know about vampires apply here… could it have turned me?”
“No.” Aki said firmly, desperate to believe it. “You’re not dying. And you’re not turning into one of those things.”
A silence had befell them. No noise except for Angel’s ragged breaths.
“Another month.” Angel had mumbled, and it took Aki a minute to figure out what he meant. Oh. When Aki touched him…
Aki did some calculations. He had a little over a year left.
Makima picked up on the comms, her calm voice cutting through: "Aki? Status?" Right.
“Makima. Angel got bit by the Vampire Devil.”
There was silence on the other line. “Understood. Sending medical assistance immediately. Is the target deceased?”
“Yes.”
“Good boy.” Came her response. Aki’s shoulders tightened. He pocketed the comms device and turned to Angel, who was hunched over, his wings at his sides as he pressed his palm to his bleeding neck. He was breathing roughly, and Aki could tell he was still mad at him.
“Stop staring at me.” Angel said gruffly “Mind your business.”
“You are my business.” Aki replied, just as gruff. It wasn’t long before a stretcher took Angel away.
——
When Angel Devil awoke, Aki’s hand was on his cheek. It took a couple seconds to register, but once it did— Angel flinched and pulled back fast, horror on his face. Aki had touched him again. Aki would die.
“Hey.” Aki slid his hand over Angel’s. “It’s okay. Feel?”
Angel blinked and looked down at their touching hands and exhaled a breath. His hand twitched under Aki’s, but Aki held it there in a comforting squeeze. His long fingers draped over his own, swallowing it whole. Angel studied the sight, the feel of it. Let himself bask in the warmth of the skin to skin touch. It felt safe? Aki wasn’t dying.
He let out a stubborn breath from the back of his throat. “I don’t understand. I don’t feel myself siphoning from you. The energy transfer… It’s just not there. My power… is gone?” Angel blinked, looking at Aki with wide, confused eyes.
Aki nodded, his dark blue eyes not as cold as they once used to be. It was true. The medical staff had figured it out while Angel was passed out. The vampire devil’s bite had set in. It didn’t turn Angel into a vampire, no. But the venom had affected him. It weakened him, and seemed to counter balance his own abilities.
The Vampire Devil had usually picked humans as their victims, either killing them or making them into lesser vampires, minions to do its bidding. The Vampire Devil never would have attacked Angel if he hadn’t attacked first. His real target was Aki. But Angel had put himself between them, and gotten fed on by it. A devil drinking a devil who brought death’s blood. Biologically, something had given way. A mutation happened, and Angel Devil could touch freely now. He no longer could kill with a touch. But that didn’t mean that touch didn’t still feel as if it could kill him.
“A-Aki.” Angel pulled his hand back, overwhelmed. He laid back, head against his pillow of the hospital bed and he stared straight at the wall.
“It’s not real.” He whispered, to himself, Aki guessed.
“Leave me be.” Angel muttered. “I’ll be okay. Just go.”
Aki knew how feelings could fester. Take up space in your head. He’d give Angel the time he needed to process. He nodded and slipped out of the hospital room, fingers groping his pack of cigarettes in his suit pocket. He bent his head and felt for his lighter, bringing it up and igniting his cancer stick. From a few feet away, he heard Denji’s voice.
“Hey. Is it true that Angel can touch now? Like— ya’ won’t die?” Denji walked up, Power beside him. Aki had called Denji once he got to the hospital, telling him to get briefed on their mission by Makima and that him and Angel were at the hospital.
“Mhm.” Aki answered passively, taking a drag. The rays of sunshine passed through the hospital windows on the right side of them. ‘Too bright’, Aki thought.
“Nooo! Angel Devil without stealing lives? Tis not right!” Power frowned, wagging a finger in the air. “His ability was a good one.”
Denji just stared for a moment, processing until he uttered, “Is he freakin’ out?”
“Oooh! I wanna poke him!” Power giggled maniacally, arm slung around Denji’s shoulders.
“I don’t know.” Aki exhaled, maybe a little too harshly. “Just don’t crowd him. And don’t talk about it. Also, Power— don’t poke him.”
Power whined and Denji frowned. “No fun.” Denji kicked at the ground. “We can’t do anything!”
“That’s right. And you don’t have to be here. Go back home and take out the beef from the freezer to defrost. I’ll be home later to cook it.” Aki instructed.
“Ugh, can’t we bother him just a *little* bit?” Power whined. “I wanna rough him up.”
“No.” Said Aki, sternly. He was already facing away from the two fiends. “Go home. I’ll see you later.”
“Harsh.” Denji huffed under his breath as Aki walked away. “Mhm. Topknot’s really wound up. Ya’ think it’s cause of the Angel?” Power asked Denji.
“No shit.” Was his reply, turning them around and walking home. “He’s gotta a little crush on ‘im remember?”
—-
Aki entered the hospital room later, when he felt a suitable amount of time had passed.
“I’m sorry.” Angel said quickly, not even facing him. Aki had *just* entered the room.
“I was cold with you, and you were just trying to help. I want you to know that It means a lot to me. All that you do.” Angel muttered, arms around his knees, wings tucked around his waist like he was hugging himself. Aki just watched him, sliding into the seat beside the bed.
A beat of silence.
“But— I figure… there’s no use.” Angel says with a slight finality.
Aki blinks. “No use in… what?” He finally speaks.
Angel sucks in a breath. “Living. If I can’t defend myself. If I can’t siphon, If I lose the one thing I’m known for, no matter how much I hated it. I lose myself.”
No.
“I can cut my wrists. The venom was sure to make me mortal. I’m weakened. It’ll be easy to die. And then you can be done with me. And I’ll rest.”
Aki’s heart lurched. No, please no. He couldn’t deal with another person to grieve.
“I’ve made my decision.” Angel said firmly, a frustrated fire in his eyes. He glared at Aki now, allowing him to see into the ugly pain that blossomed through his mind.
Aki frowned, his jaw tightening. “Angel.” His name came out soft.
Angel shook his head, straightening up a bit. “You need to let go of whatever ‘thing’ you have for me. Even now, with me not being able to kill you, you still have a death wish.”
“You don't get to decide anything for me," Aki snapped back, straightening up himself.
"I'm not letting go. And I'm not letting you throw your life away just because you feel weak."
“I don’t feel it. I am. And my purpose has never been clearer.”
Anger, frustration, fear, love. It all bubbled in his throat and pinched at Aki’s eyes. He reached out, gripping Angel’s wrists in a firm hold. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to ground him. “Your purpose isn’t your damn ability! You’re more than that! You always are.”
Angel’s anger softened into confusion.
“Hayakawa…” He breathed, voice still raspy. His wrists were yielding under Aki’s hold. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
Don’t say things he didn’t—? Aki didn’t loosen his grip. He held Angel’s gaze, jaw set.
Did Angel really think Aki was lying? That he said this just to *comfort* him? After everything—the missions they fought side by side, the quiet moments between them, the times Aki had chosen to lose time off his life, just so Angel could live?
"I mean it," Aki said sincerely "You're not defined by your curse. You never were. And I can’t lose you, Angel. Not now when I can finally touch you, and tell you— show you how much you mean to me.” He let go of Angel’s wrists. Not because his point was done, but because he was no longer angry, but saddened.
“I— I don’t know what it is you want from me…” Angel said softly. “But I’m the wrong kind of person.”
“You’re wrong.” Aki shakes his head. “I don’t expect anything other from you than to stay. Give yourself a chance, Angel.”
A chance. Just a chance. Surely, Angel could try.
“To show myself pity is weak in itself. I’d rather be worm food.”
“That’s not the point.” Aki said gruffly, fists tightening at his sides as tears pulled at his throat. “You think worms deserve you more than I do?”
Angel looked at him, a reverence in his eye. Even with his halo dimmed, he was as holy as ever. “Then eat me, Aki Hayakawa. Or else I’ll go to waste.”
To consume, to love, to use up. They were all the same. Angel wasn’t asking Aki to eat him, not really. But to prove to him that his life meant something. To make use of a lazy, reclusive devil who was stubborn and sensitive.
And Aki would. He would show Angel what it meant to be loved.
He would eat him whole.